Let’s be clear: Mexico is an absolute dumpster fire. For everyone else, El Tri is an entertaining mess. To the people who love Mexico, El Tri is a miserable dark cloud of embarrassment. Set aside, for a moment, that Mexico was pitifully and sorrowfully saved by the suddenly mighty USA, striking down Mexico’s superiority complex over their bitterest rival, and focus on the fact that a vocal portion of the Mexican media doesn’t even want their team to make it to Brazil, for fear of more disgrace.

Contrast that with the tears shed by the likes of Javier Hernandez when Mexico was saved by the bicycle kick against Panama, and now considered that Hernandez and every other Mexican player playing in Europe was left out of the team to face New Zealand.

That’s right: No European-based players for new Mexico manager Miguel Herrera, but he had no trouble calling up 10 Club America players. Club America happens to be the club that Herrera manages, and in any case, its another strange and potentially divisive move in the Mexico camp. Herrera is Mexico’s fourth manager in just five games. The last manager was fired after doing his job and getting El Tri to the playoff.

Herrera will try to beat New Zealand with just domestic players, which makes the task a little trickier and more intriguing.

The All Whites have been waiting for this inter-continental playoff for almost a year after wrapping up the top spot in Oceania. Because of New Zealand’s dearth of competitive games, it’s hard to know how good they are. The Kiwis’ team isn’t impressive on paper, but their 2010 World Cup performance was. New Zealand had the ironic record of being the only team not to lose in the tournament despite getting knocked out of the first round.

How much has changed since then? How much has changed since then for Mexico as well? This tie has intrigue written all over it.

Before, during or after today’s match, join the conversation in the comments section below with fellow soccer fans.

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About The Author

Abe Asher lives in beautiful Portland, Oregon. He fell in love with the intensity, stakes, and unrivaled spirit of football during the 2006 World Cup. Abe supports and covers the Portland Timbers locally, the USMNT nationally, and the American game and national team football at large for World Soccer Talk. Abe is on Twitter @abe_asher.

23 Comments

Tony ButterworthNovember 13, 2013

I don’t follow Mexico that closely but did I see that they are playing only players from the Mexican league ?

I just saw the score of the Jordan-Uruguay playoff. Blatter is totally right: Asia needs more teams in the WC, give them 5 more spots, no, 7 more spots, at the expense of Europe and South America. It’s only fair…who cares that Portugal or Sweden won’t make it…the World Cup needs Uzbekistan and Jordan!!!

Mexico is hungry and not take away from them, but this New Zealand side is shocking…too bad there will be about 5-6 teams in the World Cup at the level of New Zealand…Panamanians must be crying watching this, about how they missed on a World Cup spot in such unfortunate fashion…

A total embarrassment, even by All White standards. No ambition, always defending, no ball possession, just a joke. I’m glad they are already out because they would do nothing but stain the next World Cup with their pathetic brand of football.

This New Zealand side is, indeed, pure garbage…probably at the level of bottom MLS sides: Toronto FC, Chivas USA…the new Mexico coach is one jumpy fella…he will be more entertaining to watch than his team come next summer 🙂